Device for applying and removing electric-light bulbs.



Patented Apr. 22, I902.

No. 697,96l.

L. H. AINSWORTH. DEVICE FOR, APPLYING AND REMOVING ELECTRIC LIGHT BULBS.

(Application filed Aug. 8 1901) (No Model.)

00., muro myo wumwmn n c UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOT H. AINSVORTI-l, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR APPLYING AND REMOVING ELECTRIC-LIGHT BULBS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,961, dated April22, 1902.

Application filed August 8, 1901.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOT H. AINSWORTH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Device for Applying andRemow ing Electric-Light Bulbs, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to means for applying and removing electric-1ightbulbs which are located upon the ceiling or other ordinarilyinaccessible place.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved means of thischaracter which is arranged for convenient manipulation and alsoconstructed to snugly fit the bulbs, in order that they may be screwedinto and out of the ordinary sockets therefor. It is furthermoredesigned to arrange for protecting the glass bulbs against contact withhard portions of the device, thereby to obviate damage to the bulbs.

A further object resides in arranging for adjusting the device to fitdifferent shapes of bulbs.

A final object resides in a strong and durable structure of thebulb-engaging members of the device, so as to obviate breaking of thesame at their connection with the body portion of the device and topermit of the bending of said members whenever it becomes necessary tofit the same to bulbs of different shapes and sizes.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within thescope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for applyingand removing lamp-bulbs embodying the present invention. Fig. 2isalongitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of th drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates an open-endedmetallic tubular socket which has one end split or provided with aplurality of longitudinal incisions, thereby producing a plurality oflongitudinal spring fingers or members 2, which are bent outwardly so asto form a cage or seat, each member being arcuate in form, so as to produce a contracted mouth or entrance into the cage. An invertedfrusto-conical band or collar 3 is slipped upon the socket from what isordinarily its lower end, until the collar snugly embraces the inner endportions of the fingers or cage members and the adjacent end of thesocket, said collar being soldered or other wise snugly secured to thetube and the fingers, thereby bracing the latter at the point where theyare bent from the tube, which is the weakest portion of said members. Bythis arrangement the fingers are materially strengthened, and thematerial thereof is such as to give elasticity to the fingers and alsosomewhat pliable, so as to permit of the fingers being bent to contractor enlarge the cage in order that the latter may snugly fit lampbulbs ofdifferent sizes and shapes.

Each finger is covered with a rubber tube or casing 4, which snuglyembraces the member and is projected slightly beyond the upper endthereof, the side-portions of the projected end of the tube beingcemented or otherwise connected, as indicated at 5, thereby forming ayieldable buffer or the like covering the extremity of the metal finger,so as to obviate damage to the glass bulbs.

It will be of course understood that it is designed to insert anyordinary wooden stick or handle 6 into the lower end of the tubular bodyor socket in order that the cage portion may be conveniently applied tolamp-bulbs at any height.

In using the present device it is manipulated by means of the handle, soas to thrust the cage or fingers endwise upon the outer end of alamp-bulb, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, whereby the fingersspring out to receive the bulb and the latter becomes snugly seated inthe cage, after which the handle is rotated so as to screw or unscrewthe lamp with respect to the ordinary socket therefor, whereby the lampmay be conveniently applied and removed. It will here be noted that therubber coverings or casings, besidesforming protecting means,alsoinsurea snug frictional engagement with the smooth bulb in orderthat the latter may not turn within the cage. By having the casingsprojected beyond the outer ends of the fingers it is impossible for themetallic fingers to come in contact with the outer end of the bulb whenthe device is applied thereto, and thus there is no danger of crackingthe bulb.

The rubber coverings or casings also form cleaning devices, as the cagemay be forcibly rotated upon the bulb after the latter has been screwedin place, so as to remove dust, &c., from the exterior of the bulb,while the construction of the fingers will permit them to be insertedinto globes or shanks to place or remove the lamps.

What I claim is 1. A device of the character-described, comprising anopen-ended tubular socket having a plurality of longitudinal incisionsformed in one end thereof and dividing said end into integralspring-fingers which are bowed outwardly to form a cage or basket, acollar or band snugly embracing the base of the fingers on the outsideof the socket and the adjacent portion of the socket, and a handlefitted into the other end of the socket.

2. A device of the character described, embodying a plurality ofspring-fingers arranged to form a cage or basket, and protective casandprojected beyond the outer ends thereof,

each of said projected ends having its sides connected to form aprojected buffer.

4. A device of the character described, embodying an open ended tubularmetallic socket, the lower end of which is constructed for engagementwith a handle, and the upper end being provided with a plurality oflongitudinal incisions to form fingers, which are bowed outwardly andare of arcuate shape to form a cage or basket, an inverted frustoconicalband or collar applied externally to the socket from the lower endthereof and snugly embracing the bases of the fingers and the adjacentend portion of the socket, and soldered thereto, and rubber tubularcasings snugly embracing the fingers and having their outer endsprojected beyond the outer ends of said fingers, the projected end ofeach casing having its opposite sides mutually connected.

5. A device for applying and removing electric-light bulbs, comprising ahandle having one end provided with a plurality of longitudinaloutwardly-bowed flat spring-fingers disposed in a circular series toform a cage or basket of substantially the shape of an electric-lightbulb, and rubber tubular casings snugly embracing the fingers and havingtheir outer ends projected beyond the free ends of the fingers, theprojected end of each casing having its opposite sides mutuallyconnected to cover the outer end of the finger, for the purposedescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOT H. AINSWORTH.

WVitnesses:

VOLNEY C. CHASE, WM. I-I. BROOKS.

